Over the next five years, the Saudis will spend $400 billion as part of a massive infrastucture program. It includes not only $230 billion in oil and gas projects—in which Canadian firms can partake—but also the construction of 3,000 schools, 100 hospitals, 6,400 km of roads and six whole cities. Substantive opportunities also exist in education, housing, food products and health-care equipment and services.

United Arab Emirates: Up 122%*

Our biggest export market in the Middle East is renowned for landmark projects, including the world’s biggest mall and tallest building. That’s fuelling demand for engineering, design, planning and architectural services. The fast-developing UAE is also a big buyer of education and training services. And it’s seeking help to turn itself into a world leader in sustainable and integrated waste management.

India: Up 98%*

A booming economy is driving fast growth in oil consumption, creating a huge opening for providers of oil technologies, equipment and services, particularly for offshore drilling. And talks that kicked off in November about a Canada/India free-trade deal would create opportunities in many industries, including service firms in the energy, mining, environmental, engineering and financial sectors.

Singapore: Up 71%*

Superb transportation, logistics and legal systems, plus a pro-business, English-first environment, are what make Singapore a hub for trade across Asia. The city state is especially keen on food, aerospace and defence products (such as flight simulators). And Singapore is a base for IT exports to Southeast Asia, such as smartphones, satellite communication equipment and diverse enterprise software and services.

*Growth in exports from Canada, 2005 to 2009, for export markets of at least $1 billion in 2009. The opportunities are based on International Trade Canada analyses.